When do you need cdl license

A Commercial Driver's License is required to drive commercial motor vehicles CMVs such as tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, dump trucks, and passenger buses. CDL classification is also determined by the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating GVWR and other specific requirements. It takes highly specialized knowledge and skills to operate a commercial motor vehicle.

But prior to , many states allowed anyone with an automobile driver license to operate a CMV. As a result, many drivers throughout the country were driving CMVs without proper training.

This law made it mandatory for all drivers of commercial vehicles to have a CDL. By ensuring that bus drivers and operators of large trucks are highly trained and qualified, this law has improved highway safety significantly. The minimum age to apply for a CDL is typically However, some states allow drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 to apply for a single-state CDL. When the driver turns 21, that restriction is automatically removed.

There are strict federal guidelines for obtaining a CDL, and each state has its own requirements that need to be also met. You must pass both a written knowledge exam and a driving skills test, which are designed by your state. Commercial drivers are only allowed to hold a CDL in one state. Once you meet the prerequisites, including the CDL age requirements, you'll apply for a commercial driver's permit CDP. You'll pay an application fee, provide a thumbprint for a background check, pass a vision exam, and have your picture taken.

You'll also take the written CDL exam, which is a mix of multiple-choice and matching questions. It has to be taken in the following order:. Like a regular learner's permit, your CDL permit allows you to legally practice driving a CMV that belongs within your license class, as long as there is a licensed CDL driver in the front seat. You'll submit more forms and the fee to the DMV, and you'll schedule a skills test.

The skills test includes:. If you perform a dangerous or illegal maneuver at any time, the test will be immediately terminated and you'll fail. Your application will be held for 90 days from the initial application, and you'll be allowed to take the skills test two more times within that window.

After 90 days or three failed attempts, you'll have to apply again. To maintain a CDL, you need a yearly physical exam to make sure you're healthy enough to drive a commercial vehicle safely. Our self-paced online commercial driving program will teach you everything you need to know to pass your written CDL exam in Texas.

We'll also cover the soft skills that you need for a successful career, including professionalism, business communication, and more. These standards require States to issue CDLs to certain CMV drivers only after the driver passes knowledge and skills tests administered by the State and related to the type of vehicle the driver expects to operate.

Drivers are required to obtain and hold a CDL if they operate in interstate, intrastate, or foreign commerce and drive a vehicle that meets one or more of the classifications of a CMV described below. Examples of these restrictions are listed below. Therefore, to avoid restrictions, drivers should take the Skills Test in the same type of vehicle for which they are seeking a CDL to operate.

This includes drivers applying to:. Applicants must successfully complete this training before they will be permitted to take the CDL skills test or, in the case of the H endorsement, the knowledge test. Drivers will search for a training provider using the upcoming Training Provider Registry.

Class A: Any combination of vehicles which has a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11, kilograms or more 26, pounds or more whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit s with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 4, kilograms 10, pounds whichever is greater.